Only In Texas
by Diamondella
Summary: Elena Gilbert has a nemesis and it's in form of her twin sister Katherine, the ever perfect one. Both sisters get caught in a web lies involving their better halves. Can Elena overcome her shyness and have the life she wants outside her sister's shadow? AU and AH.


**Hey guys. Thanks for viewing, just so you know this is my first time writing on this site so please be kind. Criticism of all types is so welcomed.**

**The story is rated T—for now, ratings will definitely change when I add lemons. Hope you enjoy it. Special thanks to my wonderful beta and twin sister, crystalhoney, I'll be totally lost without her in every way.**

**Here you go peeps, please do enjoy.**

Chapter one

Elena Gilbert looked at the mansion sitting across from her and automatically sighed in delight. Most people would be put off by the messy and uncompleted state of the Victorian mansion, but not her. She could already picture the shade of color that would suit the exterior as well as complement the interior. She crossed the lawn, her work boots making little slaps on the cemented driveway, granted the lawn was in a state of anarchy but there was nothing impossible for her hands to turn. This was definitely going to be her most challenging job every. She thanked every deity that her boss had managed to assign it to her…and Caroline. Her partner and friend could easily wrap their impossible hard headed egoistical boss around her little finger and she was completely oblivious to that small fact.

Elena knocked on the grey door, which she guessed was supposed to be the front door, her mind was instantly reeling around the specie of Arabian wood that would replace the giant mistake hanging on the door. The best would only do for a house like this, and she was definitely going to give it her very best. A slight frown came upon her face when no one answered the door. She headed for the back door dialing Caroline's number; she was like an hour late. Being late for a job was something that drove customers away. She heard Caroline's voice as she arrived at another bigger mistake of wood hanging on the delicate frame.

"I am so sorry; I'm like a few minutes away. Please tell me you haven't met the owner yet."

Elena rolled her eyes. "No I haven't and where the hell are you?"

"I'll be right there I just had a few things to tidy up with Tyler, I'll explain everything better when I arrive. What do you think of the house so far?"

"It's a grumbling mess, a hot grumbling mess, I already have like a million ideas for it."

"I've got a few ideas of mine for the owner, he's a just the exact description you gave the house, minus the grumbling and messy part because let's face it there's nothing messy about the Damon Salvatore."

Elena chuckled, "You do realize that the last male specie you added the 'the' article to his name, you ended up sleeping with?"

"So, I wouldn't mind doing Mr. Salvatore, that guy oozes sex."

"Just get here in one piece Care. And don't be late; I can't wait to show Mr. Salvatore all my ideas."

"As usual, your mind is already overworking itself and I bet you haven't even seen half of the mansion. Just stay put missy.'

The line went dead and Elena tucked the phone into her jean pocket before tugging the door knob. Unexpectedly the grey door literally fell off its hinges and landed on the other side giving her a good view of what was supposed to be the kitchen, she let out a small scream in the process holding her trembling hands to her mouth to cushion the scream.

"God." She muttered holding her hands to her chest. She sighed praying the sagging house would not eventually fall on her head. She wanted to renovate it but she didn't want to die trying, Elena pushed the fallen door aside and dusted her dirty hands. After safely pulling the fallen door to a corner, she settled around to view the kitchen, it was large, but not just large, it was insanely large but also had a lot of history that made it feel small. She felt it because her family house back in Rosewood had always felt the same way. Every fallen cupboard, the half island, the open pantry all held memories of different events. It all made the grand kitchen feel smaller. She turned in a half circle before noticing the fireplace.

Elena knew there and then that she had found the heart of the kitchen.

The large dusty fireplace looked like it held the entire kitchen together. She could picture supervising the building sitting on a rug in front of the cozy place. Even as she had that thought she felt the sexual energy the hearth radiated. It was like great men had been conceived in front of that very place.

She grabbed her tape from the belt buckle and began measuring the cozy little fireplace in the kitchen, the little space drew her, it looked so old and fragile but there was this unique thing about it. She could envision building the whole kitchen around it. It was after all, the heart of the mansion. And that's saying a lot since she hadn't seen the rest of the house.

She measured the length and width and jotted the digits on the small notebook she kept handy; suddenly a sharp but intense perfume filled her lungs. It smelt like strawberries and something deeper and darker that was just too difficult to place because it was obviously beyond her comfort zone. At first she thought it was the ashes from the burn fire till she heard the footsteps and turned still on the floor when her brown eyes fell on the most devastating pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. It was those kind of eyes that imprinted in your heart so you could never forget them; they drained you of every rational thought so that all you were left to think about was those blue, blue oceans. She noticed his lips next, how they curved upward as if he was already undressing her, the eyes again complemented the smile as they spoke to her as if to tell her they had already had their full of her naked body and probably wanted more. Just to be sure she was fully clothed, Elena looked down to confirm if she had her clothes on and realized she was still sprawled on the dusty floor surrounded by dust and carpentry tools.

Way to go Gilbert, prove to him you're the queen of the dirt. Moron!

"You really get into your work right?" The god standing before her said with a wink. A goddamn wink! How the hell was she supposed to get off the floor without embarrassing herself further with that devilish wink from those eyes?

"I uh, I was just seeing—"

He walked closer making the simple act of breathing impossible for her.

Gilbert breathe in, out, in, out. She ordered herself. She stopped her internal ranting when he stretched a hand at her.

"Come on, let's get you off the floor. It doesn't suit you Elle."

Elena stared at the hand before slowly sliding her tiny own into his big one wondering how in the world a god managed to actually know her name besides, only her grandpa called her that. Maybe she died and went to heaven and he was her guardian angel.

Except guardian angels didn't wear Armani suits. Or looked so damn good in it.

He heaved her up and her body flushed completely against his. Her brown eyes widened at the bulge she felt on her navel. She couldn't believe it, either she was mistaken and imagining things or she'd actually turned this Greek god in the Armani suit on. Impossible!

Elena tried pulling away she needed to think this through, stuff like this didn't happen to just anyone, but he held on tight.

"What's wrong sweetie? Don't worry no one's coming, besides, it's been a while. And I'll admit it, I missed you Elena."

Before she could register what he was saying or how in God's name he managed to know her name, his mouth descended on hers instantly paralyzing her in every way, her last rational thoughts scattered like ants and all she could do was melt. He devoured her lips mercilessly taking everything she gave and what she couldn't because she didn't know how to. She could not count the number of times she'd kissed in all her twenty four years but she could safely say she had no idea how to be kissed. This man was skilled in the sacred act. She felt his hands travel down and grabbed her ass lifting her off the floor and depositing her on a counter. He settled between her legs and began lifting her red tank when the warning bells in her head rang. There was no way in hell she was going to lose her V card in an uncompleted grumbling house on a damn counter to a stranger, no matter how sinfully good looking he was, she was not Katherine.

Katherine!

Elena's mind went into overdrive as all the thoughts that disappeared from her head returned drowning her in a sea of anger, there was and could only be one explanation for this sexy and magical moment—her idiotic twin sister.

She found the strength to push him holding her hand to her lips partly to keep them from running from her face into his mouth and to caress them; they felt really hot.

"So you really don't want to mix business with pleasure, that's not what we agreed on Lena."

Elena wiped her lips totally disgusted at both her stupid sister's prank and the Greek god who couldn't have half the brain to tell them apart.

She looked into his eyes without blinking silently asking those blue eyes of his to somehow differentiate them.

"But I have to admit I'm more than willing to change your mind about this whole arrangement." He ran his hand through her hair still smiling at her.

Elena pressed her lips together and tossed him an icy glare, what kind of man sleeps with a married woman? Didn't he know that the person he was actually talking about changing his mind was actually a married woman?! A thought crossed her mind, what would Katherine be doing with him when she had Stefan? Okay, so she wasn't technically married to him but she was wearing his two million dollar topaz ring not to mention the spontaneous wedding in St. Barts. That had to mean that she was off limits. She cursed her twin again but stopped when his hands began to caress her bare back.

"You know, I ordered your company because of the few perks we could have working together, I hope you don't wanna spoil the fun for us."

She grabbed his hands to stop him and he took the moment to kiss her hand, she blushed foolishly. "You have no idea what you do to me sweetie."

"Maybe we can talk about this later, I think my partner's on her way."

He frowned watching her hop down the counter, she looked mad….at him.

"If that's how you want it to be." He walked towards her covering the distance she tried to put between them. "Just know I intend to change your mind."

Where the hell was Caroline, she was the only one going to stop the ideas going through her head from becoming reality.

"I've got to make a call inform me when your partner arrives." With that he strolled out of the kitchen but not before undressing her with his eyes again. She placed her hands on her chest to keep him from seeing her traitorous nipples shamelessly hardening. He winked again before leaving.

Once he was safely out of hearing distance, Elena grabbed her phone and dialed Katherine's number. She hoped for the sake of all that was good that her evil conniving twin didn't bounce the call as that was her usual tradition these days.

"Elena, thank God you called, there's something wrong—"

"Katherine, shut up."

"What?" The tearful voice she started the conversation in disappeared and was replaced by shock.

"Do you have any idea how stupid you made me look today, I thought we were over this whole life style of switching lives and lying to everyone, why did you have to do this when you know fully well that it relates to my career?"

"I assure Lena, if you'd just calm down and stop ranting like a child, maybe I'll understand you, what do you mean about me—'

"Child?! I'm ranting like a child? Who's being childish here?"

"Did you smack your head against a hammer or something? Because I have no idea what you're going on about."

"Don't play innocent with me, I mean Damon Salvatore, you gave him my identity as yours and I'm here with him right now. He kissed me Kat, he thought I was you because someone put the idea in his head." Elena whisper-yelled not wanting anyone most especially Damon to hear the conversation.

"You kissed him? How could you do this to me?"

Elena removed the phone from her hear and let out a small harmless scream. "He kissed me! What the hell Kat?! You are fucking married, him kissing me should be the last thing on your mind. Why the hell did you give him my identity as yours?"

"It doesn't matter why I did, all that matters is you need to back off Lena, he's mine, are we seriously back to you lusting after the men interested in me? I don't want you near him and for the record I'm not married, I'm engaged."

"Are you high or something? Kat he hired me thinking that behind broken closed doors we could have sex and I'm not lusting after him, it's the other way round."

"He hired you? For what, it's not like you have a job."

Elena slapped her forehead in disgust and anger. "Kat, you've really pissed me off this time, congrats, I don't think you can top this stupid prank you just played. You took it too far this time and you're gonna fix it or else, Stefan would hear about this. Trust me."

Elena cut the call not bothering to hear what her sister had to say, she tucked her phone into her pocket and cupped her face. All the problems she had ever had growing up was summed up in one person—Katherine Amanda Gilbert Pierce, her twin sister. She was everything Elena was not. Sophisticated, sleek, fashionable, high maintenance, gregarious, chic and just plain stupid. Elena liked to add the last adjective to satisfy the years of unhealthy sibling rivalry. In simple words, Katherine was the twin in the spot light, the captain of the cheerleading squad, prom queen, all in all she always ended up getting everything she wanted. Elena was just the other twin, not many people even knew her name growing up, in high school, she was just Katherine's twin, she gave up trying to stress her name was Elena when their history teacher in junior year pointed at her in the classroom "Care to give us the answer Katherine or the other twin?"

Only her parents and younger brother and some other few—emphasis on few—people got her name right. She was finally past leaving in her twin's shadow and she had to successfully jeopardize everything, frankly she could feel all the years of insecurity and inferiority complex she battled through her teenage years returning, thanks to one Greek god.

"This place reeks, there's no way in hell we can work on this." Caroline Forbes ran her hands through her blonde hair. "Where's the Armani god? He better have other ideas about convincing me to work for him." She added with a smirk.

Elena rolled her eyes at her friend's dramatic entrance, "I think you should call him that we've arrived—finally—this should be interesting."

"You haven't met him? Besides why the flustered look Lena?"

Elena shook her head, "Call him Care, and please refrain from using your innuendoes or gaping at his behind."

"You know me so well." She said with a giggle. Suddenly, Elena wasn't feeling confident anymore.

**Please do drop a review; I'd love to hear your amazing thoughts and ideas.**

***Kisses***

**Diamond**


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